All Your SDR Software In A Handy Raspberry Pi Image

The SDR revolution has brought a bonanza of opportunities for experimentation to the radio enthusiast, but with it has come a sometimes-confusing array of software for which even installation can be a difficult prospect for an SDR novice. If you’re bamboozled by it all then help may be at hand courtesy of [Luigi Cruz], who has packaged a suite of ready-to-go popular SDR software in an OS image for the Raspberry Pi.

On board the Raspbian-based OS image are SDR Angel, Soapy Remote, GQRX, GNURadio, LimeUtil, and LimeVNA. In hardware terms the RTL-SDR is supported, along with the LimeSDR, PlutoSDR, Airspy, and Airspy HF. All are completely ready-to-go and even have desktop shortcuts, so if the CLI scares you then you can still dive in and play. More importantly it’s designed for use with SDR transmitters as well as receivers, so the barrier for full SDR operation for radio amateurs has become significantly lower too.

This year has seen the seven-year anniversary of the RTL-SDR hack that probably did most to kickstart the use of SDRs in our community. Our colleague [Tom Nardi] wrote a retrospective that’s worth a look for its overview of some SDR tricks that have evolved over that time. Meanwhile if you don’t mind restricting your outlook somewhat, it’s possible to turn the Raspberry Pi 3 into an SDR all without any extra hardware.

29 thoughts on “All Your SDR Software In A Handy Raspberry Pi Image

    1. ^^ What if the package “is not” in a repository?
      Clearly you’re saying you’ve never encountered this situation before, meaning you only use what’s in APT nothing more.
      This makes your elitist comment something of comedy gold.

  1. The article doesn’t mention Quisk. This program is included in a lot of Linux builds and is a very mature SDR progra working, not just with dongle receivers, but also full amateur radio transceivers. Quite a large, open community of users as well.

    1. Have you tried it? Usually most SDRs use the same drivers so it should work. SDR Angel Is included and that is what I use for transmitting. I’m going to try it

  2. So I downloaded the package and installed. I see the various applications but all of them either appear to be a program to assemble the software or want to run an executable file from the command prompt.

    Was looking for a ready to run program for the R Pi.

    Am I missing something?

  3. I, like Warren, burned the package to the micrSD card and installed it in the Pi. Raspian starts and the desktop shows the SDR Angel and GQRX icons. Neither of them will start and they show “libEGL DRI2 – fail to authenticate” warning. I am using a RPi2 B. I have not tried to install RTL-SDR because it shows as a folder on the desktop. Are there more steps that I am unaware of to initialize these programs?

  4. I am a brand new newbee to Rasoberry Pi, for the purpose of SDR, so I downloaded and installed the image.
    Appears I am having the same issues as a couple of recent comments here, bearing in mind I am still learning Raspbian, I cannot get any of the SDR stuff to execute/run. Is there a basic tutorial available to assist a newbee like myself to guide me in the right direction.
    I have looked around the web and at the Raspberry beginners guide, followed instructions with no luck. Running Pi 3B+, the install itself is working fine but I would love to get a SDR running.

  5. Given last few comments & dated back 6+months, this is out of date or still problematic, unless someone can post the solution to educated & newbies having this dead end at start! Please provide URL to solution.

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